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Locations

ACTION CHC

ACTION CHC

Homeless & Publically Housed Services

  • In 2023, CHC served 32,375 patients across all sites through 129,194 in-person and telehealth visits.

Statistics

  • 6,013 of our patients (18.6%) qualifying for Public Housing Primary Care (PHPC)
  • 2,457 of our patients (7.6%) qualifying for Health Care for the Homeless (HCH), and
  • 10,631 of our patients (32.8%) reporting income at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. 

CHC’s ACTION Site

(Accessible Comprehensive Treatment in Our Neighborhoods)

Operates in full dedication to comprehensive and integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, and substance use treatment services to those who are homeless and in unstable housing situations.

CHC has had a dedicated practice for the homeless and those in unstable housing for over ten (10) years which evolved from a mobile-based unit.

* Due to the demand for health care services in the community, ACTION has had a permanent location at 130 Water Street for the past three years, which was selected due to its accessibility by public transportation and proximity to stores that can supply basic needs.

How Does The Program Work?

ACTION’s HUB program is open five days a week for four hours - 8 am to 12 pm - offering showers, coffee, breakfast, and to-go bags of healthy snacks to anyone who needs the services.

For the past decade, ACTION has been developing and executing strategy around enhanced outreach needs for the Homeless/Public Housing population in Fitchburg and the surrounding area as well as for multicultural comprehensive health services. Our care teams go out to meet people where they are, whether it’s under bridges, in encampments, or anywhere else they hear someone is in need of health care support.

What Does ACTION's HUB Program Do?

We bring supplies and care directly to individuals, and invest a great deal of time conversing with people to best assess basic needs and care as well as start building trust. Many members of our care teams have been with CHC for years and/or are from this area, which helps strengthen our comradery with the community and makes us ever-mindful of offering empathy, understanding, and cultural connection for our patient populations.

Once individuals get to know CHC and our care teams and decide to become patients, they are welcomed as they are. Their treatment begins with understanding a patient’s needs on a holistic level. It is this practice of cultural humility that allows the experienced team of care providers at CHC’s ACTION site to see a patient, assess and appreciate their life circumstances, and work with the patient to provide care of physical, emotional, and basic needs to progress overall care and wellbeing. No one is turned away.